The Importance of Rules
by Enigmatic Magus
Summary: Cologne's lost something that requires a lot of responsibility to take care of. FIC IS DEAD
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I own none of these Characters. They belong to their respective creators and I use them in hopes of giving people some of the joy the characters themselves brought to me.  
  
     The Importance of Rules  
       By Taiteki Kagato  
  
  
"Granddaughter, have you seen my warbling box anywhere?"  
"Box in room? No, Shampoo no touch box. Maybe Mousse?"  
"Perhaps.. I hope I simply misplaced it, rather than have him do anything  
with it."  
"Need help finding box, yes?"  
"No, I'll ask Mousse, though I have the sinking suspicion he did something to  
it."  
"Okay, Grandmother."  
  
Cologne hopped away on her walking stick, heading towards the blind boy  
she knew was downstairs cleaning the floors. The Box... Why she'd brought  
it with her, she didn't know, but the tribes-members that had watched her  
take it had hidden their grateful looks behind good-byes, and "come home  
soon's." If Mousse had messed with it, Nerima, if not Tokyo, was in danger.  
But she wasn't worried. She was too old to worry; too experienced.   
  
Cologne hopped a little faster.  
  
Mousse was, indeed scrubbing the floor, and, Cologne noted, doing a pretty  
good job of taking off the scuff marks and dried ramen from the past day's  
crowd.   
  
"Boy. Have you seen my Warbling Box?" She asked, carefully.  
Mousse stood, and turned in the direction of her voice.  
"I don't think so. Where was it?"  
Cologne frowned, and responded simply "It was in my room."  
"Oh. No, then. The only thing I took from your room was the Garbage."  
Cologne bristled, and smacked Mousse on the head with her walking stick,  
managing to do so quickly enough to get it back under her before she began  
to fall.   
"Foolish boy! Nothing in my room is garbage! What did you do with it?"  
Mousse, rubbing his head, pointed outside, across the street at the dumpster.  
Cologne sighed, and hopped out the door, her worry turning to dread. As she  
approached, she spotted the box atop a pile of broken boards, the lid ajar.  
She peeked inside, and frowned, finding nothing. Looking up at the stars,  
she hoped the night would be peaceful, because soon, all-too-soon, she  
knew that Nerima was in much danger, now.  
  
"I'm Home!" Ranma called, walking in the door of the Tendo Household.  
"We're in here, Ranma." Called Kasumi, from the dining area. Ranma   
slipped out if his shoes, and made his way to the dining room, hoping to  
see Akane there.  
  
Akane, at the same time, was waiting for Ranma to round the corner.   
They'd parted ways after school that day, and she was wondering where  
he'd been all day. As Ranma finally came into view, she noticed he   
looked kinda nervous.   
"Ahh... Akane? Can you come here for a moment? I have something I   
want to show you, but can't right here."  
Nabiki quirked a brow at that, but said nothing. Akane opened her   
mouth to protest, but shut it, before climbing to her feet and walking  
over to Ranma. If he was planning something perverted, she decided,  
let him make the first move.   
  
Following Ranma outside, she watched him walk over to a tree in the   
yard, and pull something out of the branches. Something small and white.   
"Here.. I wanted to give you something for.... Scaring away P-Chan."   
He said. She frowned a little as she thought she heard him say   
something more under his breath, but shrugged, and walked over to him.   
What is it, Ranma? It's a bit dark out here." She said, peering into the   
night to see what it was Ranma held.   
  
"I know, but somehow, this thing doesn't like the light. I was thinking it   
might be... umm.. a night-thing. Whatever those kinds of animals are;   
like Bats." He moved towards her, and held the small animal out to her,   
carefully.   
  
"Oh! It's so cute! Thanks Ranma!" Akane said loudly, reaching out to take  
the little creature. It was cute, too. A small, bipedal creature with large   
hairless ears, and brown and white fur covering it's head and body. It's   
small beak-like mouth, as well as the small fingers and toes were   
hairless, like it's ears, and it's eyes were huge, and warm, staring at   
Akane with an almost childlike curiosity.   
  
"What is it, Ranma? Where'd you get it?"   
  
"I dunno. It was just wandering around, like it was looking for something.   
It looked harmless enough, so I figured you might like it. As for what it   
is.. It keeps saying something weird... 'Mog..' Mog-something."  
  
As if understanding, the creature in Akane's arms looked at Ranma, and  
gave a little smile, before saying, in a cute voice, "Mogwai."  
  
  
AN: Another story started. Oh well. Hopefully this is original enough to gain some interest, and help me get back on the road to writing again. Tannim's been away so long, I haven't a clue when the next Chapter of Selves Inserted will come out, and Trials of the Heart has been put on Hold due to personal reasons. So I figured, 'why not this?' 


	2. Chapter 1

The Importance of Rules  
   By Taiteki Kagato  
   Chapter One  
  
The Tendo's and Saotome's gathered around Akane in the darkened dining room. In her hands, the small creature she'd been given by Ranma stared back, smiling a little and mumbling incoherently every now and then.  
  
"Do you know how much this thing would be worth as a Pet?" Nabiki asked, wondering how many more were out, running around Nerima.  
"It's so cute, Akane. What are you going to name it?" Kasumi asked, wondering if she could make some little clothes for it.   
"A fitting Engagement gift if I do say so myself. Wouldn't you agree, Saotome?" Soun said, a grin plastered to his face.  
"Growf!" Genma-Panda said, nodding to emphasize his concurrence.  
"I think... I think I'll call it 'M-chan!'" Akane said, thinking the name up as she stared into her pet's eyes. Ranma frowned a little, thinking about the other friendly consonant Akane had as a pet. Nabiki, catching Ranma's frown, thought about why he would seem upset, now. He'd just given Akane a gift that she herself would never have figured Ranma capable of choosing. And now, he almost looked like he thought he'd made a mistake.  
  
"Well, Ranma," Nabiki said, "looks like even you can do something right once in a.. " Nabiki trailed off as Ranma walked into the kitchen. Nabiki shrugged, and looked at Akane.   
"So sis, how would you like to help the family out?"  
"Huh?" Akane said, not paying much attention. She was too busy tickling the little Mogwai's tummy and watching it squirm.  
"I think, if properly applied, you could make quite a bit with the cute little guy."  
Akane whirled on Nabiki, "Are you suggesting I SELL little M-chan?" She said, a mixture of horror and anger in her voice.  
Nabiki took a step back, raising her hands in a non-agressive manner. "No! No. I Just meant, you should probably have people pay to even look at him. That's all." The fire in Akane's eyes died, and she muttered a small "Oh." Before looking down, and continuing her games with M-chan.  
  
"Hold on a second, Akane. I want to check something." Ranma called from the Kitchen. Everyone turned to see Ranma emerge with a steaming kettle. "Ranma?" Akane asked, as he pulled back to toss the water on her and her new pet. Nabiki, Kasumi, and Soun chose that instant to scoot out of the way.   
  
Ranma thrust the kettle forward, launching water at Akane the Mogwai, and a Gemna too lazy to bother moving.   
  
"Whew. Nothing... hap...  pened?" Ranma said, staring at the creature as it writhed in obvious agony. "What the he-" His question was cut off as he was driven into the ground like a tent stake, courtesy of a glowing, wet Akane and her subspace mallet. "What were you THINKING, throwing hot water all over a little animal? Don't tell me. you WEREN'T! Oh, M-Chan.."She said, crouching to hover over the screeching creature.  
  
"It's back! It's like it's boiling, or something!" she cried out in horror. She quickly scooped up her new pet, and ran out the door, leaving everyone to watch the now empty doorway. Empty, that is, except for the little ball of fur sitting near the doorframe, and throbbing like a heart.  
  
Ranma groaned, and pulled himself out of the hole he was in, intent on chasing Akane down, and apologizing. However, the furball chose that time to pop open, revealing a new Mogwai. Ranma, seeing this new Mogwai, stopped before he accidentally stepped on it, and bent down to pick it up.   
  
"Akane, wait! You dropped M-chan!" Ranma cried, as he ran out into the night.  
Nabiki and Kasumi stare at each other for a moment, before staring out the door again.  
"Ahh... young love." Soun said, slapping Gemna on the back. Genma just nodded solemnly.  
  
****************  
  
Akane was running through the dark streets of Nerima, hoping to see her destination soon. She was too distraught to notice the furballs that would occasionally pop out of M-chan's back. Suddenly, a figure appeared in the darkness ahead. She frowned, hoping it wasn't anyone looking for a fight, and the frown changed into a scowl as the figure spoke.  
  
"Akane Tendo, Come, leap into my arms and I shall free you from the bonds of wicked sorce-UMPH" Kuno was cut off as a small ball of fur ended up in his opened mouth. Akane sped past the suprised kendoist as she made her way towards her destination.   
  
Kuno, put off by this odd display of love and thanks, spit the growing furball into his hand. "What odd gift is this that the fair Akane Tendo doth present to me this eve?" He asked no one, as the ball of hair continued to grow.  
  
Finally, it opened, revealing a new Mogwai. "How.. cute.." Kuno said, staring at it. With his fierce tigress gone off on an obviously important errand (why else would she so disappointedly turn down a change to be with the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High?) Kuno turned towards home, carrying his gift with him.  
  
***************  
  
The third Mogwai to emerge landed at the feet of an okonomiyaki chef who had been closing her shop down for the night.  
  
"What's this?" Ukyo Kuonji asked, looking at the furball. It looked like a throbbing dirty cottonball, and she considered throwing it away, when it pulsed, growing rapidly. She drew back, staring, as it continued to throb, and on occasionally pulse larger, before it suddenly popped open, revealing...  
  
"Oh! It's so cute! You come right inside, sugar. I'll take care of you!" Ukyo said, picking up the confused Mogwai.   
  
***************  
  
Lost in his own depression, Ryouga stared at his hands, and then up at the night sky.   
  
"Oh Akane. Akiri... what Hell is it that forces me to choose between the two of you? What good is my strength if It doesn't help me overcome this obstacle? Am I doomed to.. huh? What's this?" Ryouga asked, as a running figure dropped something warm, fuzzy, and vibrating in his hand.   
  
Ryouga watched, mystified, as the small ball of fur throbbed once, growing, then realized just who the running figurine was. "A-Akane! That was Akane... and she looked upset, too. Oh, I bet Ranma's done something to upset her again." He glowed a sickly green, setting the growing furball on his backpack before taking off in the direction Akane had come running from.  
  
"RANMA SAOTOME, FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO AKANE, PREPARE TO DIE!!!"  
  
Moments later, Ryouga was in the middle of the woods.   
  
"DAMNIT RANMA! THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!"  
  
**************  
  
Finally spotting her destination, Akane slowed, which turned out to save her from a painful meeting with the ground. Instead, Shampoo landed with her bicycle in Akane's way. a big grin on her face. "Nihao, Kitchen Destroyer! Know where Shampoo Airen is? What that?" She asked, realizing Akane was holding something that seemed to be squirming. Suddenly, a ball of fur popped out and bounced of Shampoo's nose before hitting the ground.  
  
Akane stared at it for a moment, before shrugging, and running around Shampoo and her bike, and entering Dr. Tofu's office. Shampoo, in the meantime, was staring at the ball of fur, and wondering why Akane had tried to attack her with it. Finally, it opened, revealing another Mogwai, this one with a white stripe of hair down it's back. IT was all the same length, but stood out, nonetheless.   
  
"How cute! Grandmother love this!" Shampoo exclaimed, reaching out to pick the Mogwai up. As her hand got near, it tried to bite her, and shampoo squealed with delight. "Oh! Is too, too cute. No bite Shampoo little one. Shampoo take you home as pet!" And with that, Shampoo scooped up the creature, and set it in the basket of her bike, before pedaling off towards the Nekohanten.  
  
  
AN: This takes place after the Failed Wedding in the Ranmaverse, and before the first Gremlins Movie. Gizmo hasn't been named yet, and if I do decide upon a name, it won't be 'Gizmo' for obvious reasons. Also.. as my favorite Movie, I know the storylines to both movies backwards and forwards, but never really enjoyed the "buildup to mischief" sections, though, as in all forms of entertainment, a buildup of anything is to be expected. Still.. I apologize for appearing to move fast here.. though.. how long do you think they'd stay dry in the Ranmaverse? .. ohyeah.. I know Tofu isn't supposed to be around anymore by this time.. but in my story, he just sorta.. is. Nothing like having all the cards in place.. or whatever that phrase is... 


	3. Chapter 2

The Importance of Rules  
By: Taiteki Kagato  
Chapter 2  
  
  
Ukyo Kuonji stared at the cute creature she had found outside her restaurant. It stared back at her for a moment, before looking around curiously.   
  
"I Bet you'd like something to eat, huh?" She asked it, walking over to the stove. A minute later, there before the creature was an okonomiyaki with 'cute' dribbled across it in sauce. It grinned in an ultra-cute way, before devouring the meal rapidly. Ukyo just grinned, and turned to look at the time. Nine thirty.   
  
"Ran-chan is probably about that hungry, as well.. especially if Akane cooked this evening. Want to go visit him?" She asked, picking the little creature up. It burped softly, and she chuckled before turning to the grill and cooking a couple okonomiyaki for Ranma. When she was done, she strapped on her battle-spatula, and walked out the door, locking it behind her.   
  
**************  
  
Dr. Tofu stared at the creature held before him with one raised eyebrow. In the darkened room, he couldn't see as well as he would have under the fluorescent bulbs, but what he saw did warrant a reaction of some kind. He'd seen a lot of weird things in Nerima, mostly after Genma and Ranma's arrival, so the new creature he was faced with didn't worry him so much as pique his curiosity.   
  
"That's Cute, Akane, but what is it?"  
"It's a Mogwai.. I don't know what they are, but you have to help him! He's hurt!"  
"What seems to be wrong with him?"  
  
Akane started to question the Doctor's vision, when she realized that M-chan had stopped squealing and flailing, and was now trembling, something that could easily be attributed to the way she was flailing her arms around with him in them.   
  
"Umm.. well, Ranma, the idiot, threw hot water on him. He started to squeal and squirm, so I thought it best that I bring him here for you to take a look at him."  
"Oh? Hot water? So Ranma thought this was someone with a Jusenkyo Curse, maybe?"  
"I.. Umm... I guess that might have been it. But he didn't have to be so Cruel about it!" She replied, trying to reassure herself that her fiancee was sadistic towards all her pets.  
  
Dr. Tofu nodded, thinking about the Creature- 'Mogwai' Akane had called it, and setting the matter of her temper aside for the moment. It was cute, disarmingly so, and seemed to be worried, or upset about something. Figuring it couldn't hurt any, he reached out for it's aura, hoping to see if that could tell him anything. What he saw surprised him. It's aura was seething violently.  
  
"Akane, how upset would you say it acted when splashed with hot water?"  
  
"Umm.. it was squealing loudly, and squirming in pain. I thought it was dying. That's why I brought him here."  
  
Dr. Tofu thought on that, and decided to try something out. He went over to the sink, and filled a glass with hot water. Seeing this, Akane crabbed M-chan and hid him behind her body.   
  
"What are you doing?" she cried, incredulously. Dr. Tofu Started for a moment, before setting the glass of water down on the examination table.   
  
"I wanted to see how the hot water affected it's aura. I wasn't going to splash him, Akane." He said, soothingly.  
"Oh." She said, setting M-chan back onto the operating table. Dr. Tofu slid the glass of water towards the Mogwai, and watched it's aura in amazement.   
  
For the most part, the creatures aura acted as any other would when approached by a solid, inanimate object. It stayed still. But tiny threads of it's aura, hundreds, it looked like, seemed to reach out for the glass, only to collapse back into the Mogwai's main aura before reaching out again. Dr. Tofu stared, then turned to Akane.   
  
"This creature's aura is amazing. If I-" He was cut of by a voice from the waiting room.  
  
"Yo! Akane? Dr. Tofu? Ya in here?"   
"We're back here, Ranma." Dr. Tofu called, looking towards the hallway. Ranma entered a moment later carrying another Mogwai.  
  
"Akane! What were you thinking, dropping your new... pet..." He trailed off, seeing M-chan sitting at the table staring uncomfortably at the glass of water.  
  
"Another one?" he asked, softly.   
  
***********  
  
Ukyo approached the Tendo Dojo happily, her new friend holding on tightly as she hopped from rooftop to rooftop. Kasumi was the first to see her when she landed inside the yard, and called out a greeting.  
  
"Good evening, Ukyo. Ranma isn't here right now. Would you like to wait.. Oh! Did Ranma give you M-chan to bring back here?" She asked, spotting the Mogwai on Ukyo's shoulder.  
  
"M-chan? Umm.. no. I found this little guy outside my shop, and thought he'd make a good pet." Ukyo was disappointed to learn that Ranma wasn't there, but was confused by Kasumi's apparent knowledge of her new pet. "Do you know what this is?" she asked Kasumi.  
  
"It's a Mogwai. Ranma gave Akane one as a pet this evening, and an... accident involving the pet created an emergency resulting in Ranma and Akane's absence." Nabiki said from the doorway behind Kasumi. "Are there any more by your restaurant?" she asked, a tinge of hope in her voice.  
  
"Not that I know of. Though, I didn't really bother to look." Ukyo responded, wondering what kind of accident would cause them to run off together. She also frowned at the thought of Ranma giving Akane a pet, but not her, despite the fact that she now had a Mogwai of her own. "Do you know where Ran-chan got his? Maybe there are more there." Ukyo said, thinking about where her fiance was.  
  
*************  
  
Shampoo walked into the Nekohanten, cute-creature hugged firmly to her (also firm) chest. It growled softly, and wiggled in her hold, but Shampoo just giggled softly at it's silly antics.   
  
"Great-grandmother! Shampoo home!" She called, wishing she could speak in Chinese, but feeling an imaginary wooden walking stick against her skull for even thinking about it.   
"Shampoo! You're home! Now we can get married and-" Mousse was silenced as he ran straight into a support post and knocked himself out. The Mogwai, watching, stared at the now-unconcious boy.   
"Stupid Mousse. No see post, just like no see truth!" She said, setting the Mogwai on the counter before heading back, calling for her great grandmother.   
  
The Mogwai looked around, before staring down at the boy, now stirring on the floor. Mousse slowly climbed to his feet, and looked around for a moment, before scowling.   
"That bastard Saotome's behind this, I know it. Nobody puts a post in the middle of a restaurant!" He cried. Then he turned to the Mogwai on the counter, and nodded. "I'll be back later, Old ghoul. I've got to go punish Saotome for humiliating me and trying to steal away my Shampoo!"  
  
Stripe sweatdropped as Mousse disappeared into the night.  
  
*************  
  
Tatewaki Kuno approached his household, talking rapidly to his new best friend.   
"-cur Saotome to release the tigress and goddess, but would he yield? No! like some stubborn child refusing to give up his seat to deserving betters, the vice sorcerer retains his dark hold over those that I would set free of his unholy bonds."   
  
"Brother, is that you?" A voice called from the garden.   
"Yes, twisted sister-o-mine, tis I, the Blue Th-"  
"Spare me your pathetic self-given titles and give me the food for Mr. Turtle you went to pick up."  
"..." Kuno looked down at the Mogwai who was apparently trying to tear it's rather large ears off. Then he looked at the doorway right as Kodachi walked in. Spying the creature in his arms immediately, she frowned.   
"That's it? Mr. Turtle needs a meal, not an appetizer!" She rolled her eyes at her brothers stupidity, and snatched the creature from his hands with her ribbon.   
"Unhand Chibi-Thunder!" Kuno cried, swinging at his sister with his bokken.   
"Ha! Growing attached to Mr. Turtle's food? Go play with the meal I made for you, instead, brother dear."  
"Why don't you feed your poisons to your pet, instead, you pompous cheat!" Chibi-Thunder was wailing as he was swung around the garden madly, attached to a Kodachi's ribbon.  
"Don't you hear how my pet doth pine for the care of it's rightful owner? Chibi-Thunder, I will save you!" Kuno cried, only to be hit in the face with a Gymnastics pin in the face.   
"Save this." Kodachi said, flinging the Mogwai into the pond.  
  
Both siblings stared at the pond in shock a moment later.  
  
*************  
  
Ryouga was lost, again. His traveling companion was sleeping in his backpack, so Ryouga didn't want to wake him by cursing Ranma aloud. Ryouga shrugged, and started walking again, not noticing the shimmer of his surroundings as he walked from one Tokyo to another.  
  
************  
  
Ranma and Akane walked towards their home, both Mogwai being carried carefully in their arms. After leaving Dr. Tofu's office (A Mogwai of his own coming from Ranma's) they'd hurried home, to tell their family the news. Apparently, as well as not liking bright light, a Mogwai would, when watered, produce more, though how that depended on the amount of water was yet to be seen.   
  
"So... you didn't do that on purpose, Ranma?" Akane asked.  
"I've already told you! I thought it was cursed! Would you like it if you had a curse, and someone decided you'd make a good pet? I kno-" Ranma stopped as he thought about what he'd just said. Then began to laugh.  
"Of course not! and stop laughing, you jerk. You might hurt N-Chan!"   
"N-Chan?" Ranma asked, slowing.  
"Yeah.. after 'M' comes 'N', so I figured.." Ranma stopped as Akane said this, and she turned to look at him. "What?"  
"... Nabiki got all the brains in the family, didn't she?" Ranma asked, staring at Akane.  
"..." She gently set M-chan down on a nearby Trashcan lid, patting him on the head, and smiling at him sweetly. "Stay here for a moment, M-chan." She then walked over to Ranma, and took N-Chan, setting him down beside M-chan. Then she turned to Ranma.   
"RANMA YOU ASS!" She screamed, punting him over the fence, and into the Canal with a swift kick. A moment later, Onna-Ranma popped up, her face not having changed (expression-wise) from the one she'd been staring at Akane blankly with before being kicked.   
  
Authors Notes: And another one done and gone! Boy, I'm going to regret writing this at work, tomorrow. I'll see what I can do about getting the next one out.. there are really fun to write, because I can change from serious to silly and back again, thanks to the nature of both storylines. Now if only I could get Tannim back so we could work on Selves Inserted while I'm feeling so.. productive...l 


	4. Chapter 3

The Importance of Rules  
By: Taiteki Kagato  
Chapter 3  
  
  
  
As the sun rose, slowly and inevitably over the Nerima ward of Japan All around Nerima, various Mogwai acted similarly as they watched the curtains, blinds, and shutters glow as the sun's light struck them on the outside. Nerima's premier Martial Artists, hoping to sleep in on the (intended) lazy Sunday woke to the cries and warbling of Mogwai, and the noises they made to awaken the heavy sleepers.   
  
At least, that's how it was for most of the Mogwai.  
  
The Kuno Estate was huge, and within it's many corridors sat many traps, set to protect the house from the lowborn subhuman members of society not born into Kuno nobility. Or so they said aloud. In truth, the pair had set the traps after their father had left for Hawaii, in hopes of keeping him out were he ever to return. Their father returned, but the traps stayed, and over the past evening, most had been exhausted (those that required ammunition or were alive) by the endless supply of creatures that would trigger them.  
  
After Chibi-Thunder had fallen into the pond, a bizarre lightshow of sorts had started, and soon enough, Chibi-Thunder had hopped out to rejoin his friend and mentor. Or so Tatewaki Kuno had thought, until another Mogwai had emerged from the fog.. and another and another... Mr. Turtle did what he could, eating the ever-growing food supply as quickly as he could, but in the end, He'd filled up long before the supply of Mogwai had run out. Now he floated lazily on the surface, hoping to grow hungry again. Whatever he'd been fed was easy to eat, and didn't fight back, as some of his owners other meals had.  
  
Kodachi prided her rose garden, and when a small army of the creatures she'd fed to her pet had started in that direction, she'd leapt to their defense, attacking the creatures with her ribbon. The slaughter was rather one-sided, since the Mogwai had no real way of fighting back. Still, what they lacked in fighting skill they made up for in numbers, and Kodachi's arm grew tired before the Mogwai had stopped advancing. Her plants, however, picked up where she left off.  
  
Tendrils, green with chlorophyl, reached out to snare the creatures, and feed them to the podlike mouths hidden in the underbrush. The plants, however, soon grew full, and decided to tear the Mogwai apart, once they couldn't feed on them anymore. Still the Mogwai Army advanced.   
  
Tatewaki fared similarly. He'd found Chibi-Thunder, and was now holding him in one hand, while posing heroically. "  
  
"Foul dopplegangers of the pure Chibi-Thunder, return to the Netherworld from which you crawled, or suffer the divinely empowered Blue Thunder of Furinkin High!" The Mogwai ignored him, as they made their way to the mansion. Tatewaki sighed once, before raising his bokken. "So be it, foul vermin."  
  
Amid swings that dismembered, disemboweled, and beheaded the Mogwai by the dozens, Tatewaki was slowly backed up towards the corner his sister had landed in to recuperate. The fog and light show from the pond was starting to die off, but the Kuno sibling's had fallen to exhaustion by then. The Mogwai, no longer under attack, worked together quickly, tying both siblings together with Kodachi's Ribbon, and hanging them from a sturdy tree.  
  
Then, for the rest of the evening, the Mogwai took turns using Tatewaki's Bokken to beat the unconscious piñata, Chibi-Thunder making sure everyone got a few good whacks in each time.  
  
****************  
Ranma Saotome awoke to the nonsensical warbling of a worried Mogwai. He'd placed it on his dresser the night before, but now, it appeared to be cowering in the immense shadow of Genma-Panda. Sitting up, he looked around for anything frightening, Not spotting any cats, he sighed, and went to pick the creature up. The Mogwai cowered in Ranma's arms, but was protected by the fingers of sunlight reaching through the window by Ranma's body.  
  
Thinking about what he knew, he surmised (correctly) that the creature was afraid of the sunlight, and moved towards the door, hoping to find a room without windows.   
  
***************  
  
Akane Tendo awoke slowly as someone or something shook her away.  
"goway, Ranma." she muttered in the twilight of sleep. Whatever it was shook her again. She frowned, but didn't open her eyes. "I said go away, idiot" she said, a little louder. Again, she shook.   
  
***************  
  
"JERK!"  
  
Thud  
  
"AUGH!!! M-Chan! I'm so sorry!"  
  
Nabiki peeled one eyelid back slowly to glare at the wall dividing her room from her sisters. Then she closed it, and rolled over, away from the light seeping in through her window.  
  
***************  
  
Breakfast at the Tendo's was usually entertaining to those who didn't have to participate in the odd rituals. Today being a Sunday however, meant that Kasumi had made a light breakfast that would last, and left it out for the members of the house to eat as they awoke and made their ways downstairs.  
  
Soun Tendo sat out on the porch, watching the sun rise, and sipping a cup of tea. He rarely had the chance to peacefully watch the sun rise, and hoped today he'd be able to just sit here and do just that.   
  
Ranma came downstairs a few minutes later, and grabbed some fruit from the table, munching on it slowly as he looked around for something to do. Being a Sunday, there was no school, so he had all day to do what he wanted. After Jusendo, he'd received less death threats and random attacks, and hoped that today would be similar. Sure, he enjoyed the fights, but there was a limit even to his patience. Deciding he'd go for a jog, he stepped outside, and was about to leave, when Kasumi called him.  
  
"Ranma-kun? Is that you?" she asked from the kitchen.  
"Yes, Kasumi."  
"Ah. If you're going out, could you go get some things for me from the market?"  
"... are they even open this early? It is Sunday." he asked.  
"Not yet, but you look like you might be out for a while, so I thought I'd ask you to get a couple things on your way back."  
"Oh. Umm.. sure. I guess I can go. What do you need?" He responded, watching her. She disappeared into the kitchen for a moment, then returned with a small sheet of paper.   
"Just this. Thank you, Ranma!" She said, smiling.  
"No Problem, Kasumi.. Oh! I almost forgot. The Mogwai seem to be afraid of sunlight. Knowing that uncute tomboy, she'll probably try to take her 'M-chan' sunbathing or something. Could you tell her that they can't be exposed to sunlight?"  
"Sure, Ranma-kun. Have fun!" Kasumi called, as she watched him walk out and leap over the wall.  
  
************  
  
Akane walked down the stairs slowly, a trembling M-chan cradled lovingly in her arms. After retrieving the shaken and abused M-chan from the far side of the room (having landed on the floor in a daze after Akane'd knocked him into the wall with a forceful backhand.)  
  
"Kasumi?" Akane asked, grabbing a couple bites off the table.  
"Yes, Akane?"  
"Where's Ranma?"  
"Oh, he went out this morning to get some things from the market. He'll be back a little later."  
"Oh... Is it okay if I Cook him a big breakfast to come back to?"  
"... Okay, Akane. Want me to help?" Kasumi asked, crossing her fingers behind her back, and wondering if she should have added a new set of pots and pans to the list she'd given Ranma.  
"No, I want it to be a surprise. M-chan can help me, see!" she said, holding M-chan up to Kasumi proudly. M-chan, however, looked terrified.  
"Akane, before I forget, you should probably keep M-chan out of sunlight, since bright lights hurt him." Kasumi said, carefully. She'd left out the fact that Ranma had told her this knowing she'd most likely defy him the first chance she got. Akane digested the information, frowning in thought, and M-chan looked at Kasumi almost thankfully.   
"Hmm.. you're probably right. Ranma probably never thought about that. I should go rescue his Mogwai too." Akane turned towards the stairs, and Kasumi turned towards the kitchen, deep in thought.   
  
Soun let the breath he'd been holding since Akane'd offered to kook go as he heard Kasumi mumbling to herself quietly.  
  
"...Quickly find a way to sabotage the kitchen..."  
  
************  
  
"Granddaughter... I left yesterday looking for something, only to come back and see you've found it. I'd be pleased, but from the looks of this, I'd say things in Nerima just got worse."   
"Shampoo fix problem, no?"  
"No.. you've not hastened it, wither, but once the cycle starts, all we can do is wait. Let us hope that Nerima is prepared. I'm going to get some paperwork started, child. Keep this creature out of the sunlight, and if I'm not back by then, whatever you do, you MUST NOT Feed it after midnight. Understand me, Granddaughter?"  
Shampoo nodded, staring at the creature, who seemed to glare at the Amazonian Matriarch knowingly.  
  
**************  
  
Ukyo Kuonji slept, oblivious to her pets warbles and banging. The little box she'd placed him in wasn't letting the sunlight anywhere near him, but he was kind of hungry. The Mogwai knocked again, but the only response he got was a light snore as Ukyo rolled away from the box on the nightstand. She had a couple hours to sleep, still, before she'd open her restaurant at noon. And she'd be damned if she'd let some furball keep her from her dreams of Ranma. And Okonomiyaki.   
  
**************  
  
Ryouga Hibiki, the night before, had totally left Nerima. His bizarre ability to get lost, combined with the presence of a being that was metaphysically misplaced (though theoretically possible in his, and any reality) had caused him to wander straight through a barrier he'd normally never come across. As he stared uncomprehendingly at the sign that said "Welcome to Juuban, Tokyo's most Famous District." he frowned. Under the big letters, the sign continued "(Presumed) Home of the Sailor Senshi!"  
  
Ryouga blinked.   
  
"WHERE THE HELL AM I, NOW?!?" he cried to the slowly brightening sky. Then he walked into a large drainage pipe, and got lost in the sewers.  
  
*********  
  
Authors Notes: And.. once again, I've finished. Hopefully you all are still entertained, though this chapter didn't do much but get em through half-a-day. Obviously, Ryouga isn't in Kansas anymore. I originally intended to write a story that took place in Tokyo, with Gremlins forcing the Senshi and Wrecking Crew to work together. Now, instead, I can just elude to Ryouga's fights with the Senshi here and there, and focus in the NWC. If you'd like to write the Juuban happenings, just drop me a line. I'd be hard pressed to turn you down. Anyway... Ja, for now! 


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Ranma and Friends are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, and various  
publishing agencies. Gremlins are owned by Warner Brothers, and anyone  
lucky enough to buy one of those latex figures left over after the  
movie.  
Cologne glanced around the store carefully, making sure she'd not  
forgotten anything. Buying in preparation for a disaster was never easy,  
but when disasters happened around here. She decided a bit more sheet  
metal might not be a bad idea.  
The Importance of Rules 4  
By: Kagato  
"I'm home!" Ranma called, the items he carried balanced precariously  
upon his arms and head. Making his way to the main room of the house, he  
began setting things down on the table, as Kasumi came out to help him.  
"My, Ranma, you took a long time getting these today. Was the market  
busy?"  
"Eh? No. I had to go kinda far to get some of these things... some old  
lady bought almost all the building supplies in town. Then on my way  
back, Mousse appeared outta nowhere and.. well.." he trailed off, then,  
knowing the rest was too obvious to say.  
"Oh my. I'm sorry to make you walk so far out of your way. It's almost  
dinnertime, now." Ranma just shrugged, and, after helping Kasumi put  
away most of the things he'd gone to pick up, he disappeared into the  
dojo to work off the frustration of the day.  
(Begin Fight Flashback)  
After Mousse had shown up, Kuno had appeared as well, and the two  
attacked him together. It was an easy fight, but then Mousse had pulled  
a water balloon on Ranma, and the wet Ranma, still blinking the water  
out of his eyes, was assaulted by Kuno, a smothering hug holding Ranma  
still. Mouse had chosen this time to attack Ranma, and Kuno had begun  
defending his pigtailed goddess from the enraged savage, until Mousse  
had fallen on another water balloon, and flown away as a duck. Ranma  
stared, as Kuno scowled at the fleeing fowl, wondering if Kuno had  
understood what that implied.  
"Alas, the foul sorcerer has interfered in this fight as well,  
enchanting my opponent so that he may fight another day. Curse you  
Saotome!" Kuno cried, shaking his bokken at the heavens. A moment later  
Kuno himself was sent towards the heavens, and an extremely irked,  
female Ranma turned to Mousse's Robes. After digging around, Ranma found  
the item she was searching for, and the hot thermos was now inverted  
above male-Ranma's head.  
(End Flashback)  
"Ranma, dinner's ready." Nabiki said, poking her head in the door,  
before disappearing just as quickly. Night had fallen as Ranma had  
worked off his excess energy, and he sighed softly, disappointed that  
he'd missed watching the sunset. Though he didn't get a chance to often,  
he occasionally found the time to watch the sun set after it's trek  
across the sky, and think about whatever his mind wandered to. A couple  
subtle improvements in his fighting style had come of this relaxed  
thought, and while none of his girl troubles had been solved, he'd use  
that time to calm down after their more active days.  
Entering the house, he saw the Tendo family gathering around the table,  
is father already seated and staring at the door to the kitchen  
expectantly. Akane frowned at him for a moment, before petting M-chan on  
the head, softly. Quickly moving over to the table, he sat down beside  
his gather, and waited for Kasumi to arrive with their food.  
Dinner was quiet, the loudest sound being the clack of chopsticks as  
Ranma blocked his father's attempts to steal his food. Finally, Genma  
realized that he'd have better luck stealing from someone a little  
slower, and tried to take some rice from Nabiki. She didn't do any more  
than raise her eyes to look at him, but that's all it took. His hand  
shot back like he'd stuck it into a fire, and he turned to Akane, eyeing  
her plate hungrily. Then he saw that her Mallet had somehow appeared  
beside her on the table, and, decided that it wasn't worth it.  
Genma's hand struck then, stealing from Kasumi's plate, and, after  
nothing happened, he looked at her with a victorious smile on his face.  
His chopsticks snapped in his hand when he saw the look of pain and  
suffering on her face, and his mouth fell open in shock as a tear rolled  
down her cheek.  
"Kasumi.. I'm.. I'm so sorry. I. Excuse me." Genma stood and left,  
unable to handle being looked at like that. Soun, Nabiki, Ranma and  
Akane kept eating, and after he'd left the room, Kasumi wiped her eyes,  
staring down at her plate, sadly.  
"I overcooked the rice." She said with a sigh, before continuing her  
meal. Finally, the last bite was eaten, and each member disbursed, and  
Ranma walked to his room with a handful of food for his mogwai. Entering  
the room, he walked over to where he'd placed his Mogwai to keep it away  
from the sunlight, and placed the food-filled napkin down before it. It  
stared hungrily before digging in rapidly. Then, midway through its  
meal, it stopped, and stared at the window.  
"What's the matter, not hungry?" Ranma asked, not sure what was wrong  
with the little thing. When it just looked at him and shrugged, he  
shrugged back, and walked over to his bed. He had school tomorrow, and  
getting a full nights rest would help him deal with whatever madness was  
sure to enter his life once he passed through Furinkin's gates.  
Likewise, in the next room over, Akane was getting ready for bed, and M-  
chan just looked around, watching Akane warily. The morning's brutal  
meeting with the wall had taught him to be cautions around her, and he  
would refrain from waking her again the next morning. He'd eaten at the  
dinner table and palmed a small morsel of food, which, after the clock  
passed midnight, he ate.Unfortunately for Neremians everywhere, similar  
events had led up to a problematic conclusion throughout the day.  
*******  
At Uchan's Okonomiyaki Restaurant, the customers had stared in awe (and  
a little jealousy) at the cute little creature imitating Ukyo with one  
of her smaller throwing spatulas. Earlier customers had been amused as  
the smaller spatula had clattered against the countertop, while those in  
the afternoon had nodded in approval as the small creature mimicked her  
quite well, only going a bit slower. By nightfall, customers stared in  
awe as the creature mirrored her, a tiny okonomiyaki baking on the  
portion of the grill before it.  
"You know, if you were a little bigger, I'd pay to have you help out.  
You're a quick learner." Ukyo said to the creature. It shrugged spinning  
the spatula one handed over its head, before slinging it onto its back  
in a makeshift sling. Then it hopped down onto the floor, executing a  
graceful flip and headed towards the stairs that lead to Ukyo's upstairs  
apartment.  
Ukyo stared at it in amazement. Her fianc, didn't learn that quickly.  
She sighed, then. Thinking about Ranma was always done with mixed  
emotions. He was so cute, but so oblivious. She shook her head, and  
struck a determined pose. She may not have the advantage of sleeping  
under the same roof as Akane did, and Shampoo may be built a little  
better, but damnit, she had just as much claim to him as Akane, and that  
was the only serious engagement. As far as she cared, Shampoo's claim  
was about as backed as Kodachi's, and even Akane hadn't lost as much as  
she had.  
With another sigh, Ukyo quickly flipped the chairs onto the tables, and  
swept the floors, the day's acquired crumbs and dust piling up quickly,  
before she launched it out the door. Locking the door, and turning off  
the lights behind her, she grabbed the okonomiyaki she'd cooked for  
herself off the counter, wiping away the moisture left behind, and went  
upstairs to join her little prodigal pet.  
It was waiting for her, staring at the Okonomiyaki in her hand hungrily.  
Ukyo grinned, and set a small piece before it, sitting on her mattress,  
and taking a bite herself. She looked down at the creature as it made a  
noise, and she grinned, assuming it enjoyed the taste of her cooking.  
Finishing, she saw her pet hadn't quite finished, or wasn't hungry, and  
decided to leave the small piece there, in case it got hungry in a  
little bit. Then she changed, and hopped into her bed, reaching up to  
set her alarm clock for school before she turned out the light that  
softly illuminated her room.  
*******  
Across town, The pantry had been raided at a rather large mansion, and a  
large group of mogwai sat watching a large television set and  
occasionally glancing at a nearby clock, while boxes, bottles and cans  
of food lay strewn about, waiting to be opened at the right time. As the  
clock approached midnight, the gathered mogwai's warbling grew louder,  
as tiny hands went to open numerous food containers in wait for the time  
they awaited.  
Finally, the clock chimed, and the creatures began feeding ravenously,  
devouring all the collected food in minutes. Unfortunately, most of them  
soon died as various poisons went to work on bodies mere fractions of  
the size they'd been dosed for. Those that ate clean food, however,  
didn't notice, as subtle reactions in their chemistry grew rapidly, and  
their metamorphosis began.  
In the Nekohanten, Shampoo had watched with joy as her new pet had  
copied her movements, slowly growing more and more limber, faster, and  
graceful as the day progressed. By nightfall, the creature was carrying  
bowls of steaming ramen to tables faster than duck-Mousse ever could.  
And, with working eyes, it didn't mess up by taking food to the wrong  
tables as often.  
Shampoo cheered when it first leapt onto a table with a bowl of Ramen  
held over it's head, and by the day's end, it would hop off walls, the  
floor tables, and the occasional rowdy customers head to help deliver  
food. The only thing it wouldn't do was deliver food to the tables near  
the door or windows. Indirect sunlight was okay, and it enjoyed the low  
level lighting the Nekohanten had been designed with, but it wouldn't  
take that chance. And, as the sun set, it had disappeared for a while,  
as the sunlight had streamed in through the windows and effectively  
blocked off it's path across the restaurant.  
Now, however, the sky was dark, the restaurant closing up, and the  
perfect time to get an after-midnight snack from the storage room.  
"And where do you think you're going, little one?" an elderly voice  
asked from behind it. The Mogwai sweatdropped as it let go of the door,  
turning to look at the withered figure perched upon a cane.  
"I know your tricks, little Mogwai. Don't think you can pull one over on  
me." Cologne said. She and Mousse, after buying supplies, had worked  
outside all day to fortify the restaurant against the coming storm. She  
knew that they would probably still get in and cause a problem, but at  
least now the damage would be a rather hefty mess, as opposed to  
structural damage or loss. Cologne chuckled as she hopped away, the  
deadbolt on the door locked tightly, the only key the one around her  
neck.  
Unfortunately, while Cologne had managed to collect all the food the  
restaurant had for customers, she'd neglected to gather up the bread  
Mousse ate in his cage as a duck. The mogwai, spotting this old, dry and  
stale piece of bread, and grimaced, before taking it and hiding it for  
consumption later that night.  
Finally, when the hour arrived, and everyone appeared to be sleeping,  
the creature snuck out the door, and down to it's hiding spot, eating  
the bread before crawlign to the middle of the floor to spite the old  
lady.  
Authors Notes: Another chapter finished. I bet you all thought I forgot  
about this fic, or something, eh? Well.. I'll get another one out soon,  
I think. now that I've gotten the.. mundane stuff out of the way, I can  
start having fun. Visual Puns you'd like to see done by gremlins in  
upcoming chapters are welcome, and I've yet to find someone willing (or  
interested.) to do "Ryouga and The Gremins in Juuban." It's not a must,  
but it'd be fun for someone to do (I think) so if you're interested, E-  
Mail me, or IM me (EnigmaticMagus) and we can talk.  
-Kagato 


	6. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is owned by Rumiko Takahashi. Gremlins is owned by  
Warner Brothers.  
  
The Importance of Rules  
By: Kagato  
Chapter 5  
  
"Wa-huh?" Ranma said as he sailed out the window. Genma quickly hopped  
after his airborn son, hopign to get a couple good hits in before Ranma  
fully awoke. Spotting his wayward offspring glowing in the Koi pond, the  
Saotome patriarch realized he'd be lucky to get any hits in, and waitef  
for Ranma's seemingly-scripted outcry.  
  
"Whadja do tha-" a piercing scream from Akane's room cut Ranma off, and  
a moment later, Ranma had dissapeared, leaving a confused Genma staring  
at the spot his son had been a moment ago.  
  
"Akane!" Ranmy cried, entering the room. Nabiki Kasumi and Soun followed  
him, drawn by Akane's shout. Upon entering, they all saw Akane sitting  
in her bed, and staring at...  
  
"What the hell is that?" Ranma asked. Nabiki frowned at it, and Kasumi  
placed the back of her hand on Akane's forehead, makign sure her  
youngest sister was alright.  
  
"It's... It was M-chan." She said, quietly. Kasumi noticed a tear  
crawling down her sisters cheek, and handed her a tissue to dry her eyes  
with while everyone elses attention was on the... thing M-chan had  
become.  
  
"Akane..." Ranma said, quietly. Akane looked at him, shocked. Was that  
sympathy she was displaying?  
  
"... Did you try to feed him some of your cooking?" Ranma finally said,  
seriously. Nabiki left the room then, and Soun, who had been standing  
behind Ranma, seemed to materialize back by the door.  
  
"..." Akane's stare faltered, before an engraged scowl took over. "You  
insensitive jerk!"she snarled, leaping at her fiancee, fists extended.  
  
"Akane, I- ack!" Ranma said, before being pummeled. Akane stopped after  
a moment, feeling better, before she realized she was clad in only her  
panties and a shirt.  
  
"Eeeek! You.. you Pervert!" She cried, before resuming her assault with  
new vigor. When Ranma's movements under her stilled, she quickly pushed  
her out the door with her foot, before turning back towards the thing M-  
chan had become. Kasumi was squatting near it, looking at it intently.  
  
"Akane? I don't think M-chan is dead. This is some kind of cocoon."  
  
"Cocoon? But... does that mean M-chan is going to turn into a  
butterfly?" Akane asked hopefully.  
  
"I doubt that." Nabiki said, entering the room now that Akane's anger  
had dissipated.  
  
"It's interesting. Catepillars cocoons are spun from silk, but this  
looks like..."  
  
"A giant booger?" Nabki offered, a wry smile on her face.  
  
"Nabiki!" Kasumi admonished. However, looking back at the coccon, she  
conceded "it does look like mucus, though."  
  
"... M-chan's going to have trouble getting that out of his hair." Akane  
said, pulling on her school uniform. Nabiki stared at her incredulously,  
while Kasumi nodded.  
  
"Oh my. Without being able to use water, that would be a problem."  
  
"You know, " Nabiki said conversationally, "What comes out of there  
might not even have hair."  
  
"I'm sure that whatever M-chan becomes it'll be cute," Akane said,  
sounding happier. Now that she knew M-chan wasn't in danger of dying,  
she was looking forward to seeing whatever hatched. Shrugging, Nabiki  
left to get ready for school, and Kasumi began contemplating the best  
way to clean the floor around the cocoon.  
  
"Ughn.." Ranma said intelligently as she made her way back to her room,  
"stupid tomboy, hitting me like that. It was a good question..." Ranma  
winced again as she fingered the bruise adorning her cheek. Pulling open  
a drawer, she removed one of her red chinese shirts, and black pants,  
before realizing she was still a girl.  
  
"Stupid old man" she muttered, leaving to get some hot water. Returning  
a minute later, Ranma pulled on his clothes quickly, before opening the  
closet to check on his own Mogwai.  
  
"AUGH!" he cried, spotting another thing lying on the closet floor.  
  
"Yours too, eh?" Someone said from the door.  
  
"Who wha.. huh?" Ranma asked, spinning to look at whoever had spoken.  
Nabiki leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, and a smile on her  
face.  
  
"A hundred yen, and I'll tell you what's going on." Ranma frowned, and  
looked at the thing on the floor.  
  
"It's a cocoon." he said, suddenly. Nabiki faltered, surprised by this  
display of brainpower. So surprised, that she blurted out her next  
question without thinking. "How did you know that?"  
  
Ranma grinned at her, his suspicions confirmed, before speaking, "I can  
sense his ki.. only, it's changed. Changing." He shrugged, " it's weird,  
but now that I'm looking for it, I can sense it. It reminds me of  
spring, during the training trip. There were a bunch of them, and Pop  
had me help some people pick the cocoons and put them in a basket."  
Ranma shrugged. Nabiki smirked.  
  
"Silkworms. They were collecting their cocoons to make silk." Ranma  
blinked, then nodded, remembering hearing about that in school between  
naps. Turning to look at the cocoon once more, he shut the closet door,  
picked up his schoolbag, and left, Nabiki following him out still  
surprised by his intelligent outburst.  
  
***************************  
  
A few blocks away, Ukyo Kuonji was inspecting a disgusting looking lump  
of... something that had replaced her little helper.  
  
"Well, whatever you are, I guess you'll have to wait till I get back  
from school... Konatsu?"  
  
"Yes, Ukyo-sama?" The kunoichi asked, appearing from the darkened hall  
outside her door.  
  
"I'm going to school. Keep an eye on things, will ya?" She asked with a  
small grin. Ukyo knew Konatsu would do that without being asked, but she  
liked the way he acted like she'd given him a yacht. He didn't  
dissapoind her, lighting up like a christmas tree, before nodding.  
  
"With honor, Ukyo-sama!" Ukyo just nodded, before leaving. Said sxodus,  
however, was interrupted by a small cough. Ukyo turned, a brow raised.  
  
"Umm.. Ukyo-sama, what should I do about... that?" Konatsu asked,  
pointing at the thing in the corner. Ukyo shrugged.  
  
"I'll think of something. Just leave it alone for now," she said, before  
leaving. Konatsu stared at the object for a moment, before turnign away.  
  
"I have a bad feeling about this, Ukyo-sama..."  
  
***************************  
  
The Kuno Estate typically bristled with activity, the workers keeping  
the large household looking like the Samurai dwelling it was reputed to  
be. Today, however, the workers found the doors unopenable, and the  
windows blacked out from within. One faithful servant who managed to  
peer over the wall into the rear yard quickly turned to go, muttering to  
himself about the need to get a new job.  
  
The inside of the house was now covered in cocoons similar to the ones  
at the Tendo Residence and Ukyo's apartment. However, instead of one or  
two, there were hundreds, located throughout the mansion, the thick  
material gloung them in place also holding the doors and windows shut  
against all but the strongest of force.  
  
The Kitchens, all three, were left in shambles, the refridgerator door  
swinging in the air conditions draft, and food wrappers layering the  
floor beneath the multitude of cocoons that obscured the floor from  
view. A few Mogwai lay upon the counters, twitching as their bodies  
fought the effects of Kodachi's Paralysis-Powder-laced foods, and a  
couple more lay dead after ingesting too much of her more potent  
potions.  
  
Kuno's shrine to his pigtailed Goddess and Fierce Tigress was in  
tatters, the pictures and posters that had adorned the walls torn by  
tiny fingers, untill all that remaned were colorful pieces of paper that  
were glued to the floor by the multitude of cocoons that had formed in  
there.  
  
And swinging from the branches of a larger tree out back, the Kuno  
siblings slept, the multitude of bumps and bruises inflicted the night  
before slowly fading as they slept on, unaware of what grew within the  
walls of their home.  
  
***************************  
  
"What is it, great-grandmother?" Shampoo asked.  
  
"It's a cocoon, child. As I feared, your pet has eaten after midnight,  
and begun it's metamorphosis."  
  
Cologne sighed, looking out the small window on the far wall for a  
moment. If the others, and she knew there were others out there, had  
eaten, then Nerima would be facing the small, evil creatures by evening.  
Perhaps even the afternoon. She muttered a curse in a language long-  
dead, before looking at the cocoon. It had been so long since the last  
time there was an outbreak of these... things. And that long period of  
relative peace was about to end.  
  
"I should have given it to him last time he offered..." she said  
quietly, "next time..."  
  
"What, great-grandmother?" Shampoo asked.  
  
"Nothing child." Cologne said, turning to look at the cocoon again. Her  
trained eye could see the life inside growing, changing, and she  
shuddered, remembering the last time she'd faced the metamorphosed  
creatures. Turning to Shampoo, she spoke quickly, "Go to son-in-law,  
Shampoo. Tell him that Nerima is about to be invaded by evil magical  
creatures, and if he sees one, kill it. Tell Akane and Ukyo, as well."  
  
"Shampoo tell Husband, yes, but why Shampoo tell Violent Girl and  
Spatula Girl?"  
  
"Because, child, we're going to need all the help we can get." Shampoo  
nodded slowly as she saw how serious her great-grandmother was, and  
turned to go. Cologne shot a glare at the cocoon after Shampoo had left.  
  
"And as for you," she said quietly, her grip tightening on her staff,  
"I'll be waiting."  
  
***************************  
  
Authors Notes:  
  
Ha. I didn't forget, I was just... umm... okay, so I got pre-occupied  
and forgot. Better late than never though, right? Next Chapter: A quick  
chat at school, Our hero's arrival at him... and Kasumi's Encounter. DUN  
DUN DUN! 


End file.
